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Born in "Amsterdam, De Hoop Scheffer graduated with an "LL.M. degree at "Leiden University in 1974. After completing military service in the "air force, where he became a reserve officer, he worked for the ministry of foreign affairs from 1976 to 1986. For the first two years, he was stationed at the Dutch embassy in "Ghana. After that, he worked at the Dutch delegation at "NATO headquarters in "Brussels until 1980.

Although he had been a member of the "D66 party, he became a member of the "Christen-Democratisch Appèl (CDA) in 1982. At the elections of 1986, he was elected to the "House of Representatives. He was a spokesman on "foreign policy for his party. Between 1997 and 2001, he was the leader of the CDA delegation in the House of Representatives, at a time when the CDA was in opposition. This made him the party leader.

When the list of candidates for the 2002 elections was chosen, his position as the party leader of the CDA became uncertain. After a power struggle with the party chairman Van Rij, De Hoop Scheffer resigned as party leader. "Jan Peter Balkenende succeeded him, and had the top spot on the CDA list of candidates in the elections on 15 May 2002.

The CDA won in those elections and played the leading role in the formation of a new coalition government. The new prime minister Balkenende appointed De Hoop Scheffer as foreign minister in his short-lived "first cabinet, a position he retained in the "second Balkenende cabinet after the elections of 22 January 2003. In 2003, the foreign policy of the Netherlands was largely determined by De Hoop Scheffer and Balkenende. Its main foreign policy decision was to contribute to "Operation Iraqi Freedom, although its formulation ("political" but not "military" support) gave it an ambivalent character. However, 1,100 Dutch servicemen were deployed as part of the "Stabilisation Force Iraq in the southern province of "Al Muthanna from 2003 till 2005, and two of them were killed in action.

From left to right. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and wife Jeannine visiting "Laura and "George W. Bush at the Bush Ranch in Texas in 2007.

He became the 11th "NATO Secretary General on 5 January 2004, succeeding "Lord Robertson, who held the post from 1999 until 2003. The announcement was made on 22 September 2003.[3] As Secretary General, De Hoop Scheffer urged NATO members to contribute more to NATO operations such as the "International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.[4] He "informed a NATO conference that 'NATO troops have to guard pipelines that transport oil and gas that is directed for the West,' and more generally to protect sea routes used by tankers and other 'crucial infrastructure' of the energy system".[5]

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer attended an economic conference in "Montreal, Canada, on 21 June 2007, where he encouraged Canada to continue its military mission in "Afghanistan past its 2009 withdrawal date. He said, "I think more time is necessary to create those conditions for reconstruction and development to go on."[6] His visit coincided with the death of three more Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. "I know how dramatic it is if Canadian soldiers pay the highest price, but I still say, you are there for a good cause."[7] De Hoop Scheffer's comments were made as the Canadian government was under pressure by opposition politicians to define the length of Canada's commitment to the mission in Afghanistan.

On 21 July 2009 De Hoop Scheffer suffered a "heart attack. He underwent "angioplasty after which he was reported to be in stable condition.[8][9]

On 1 September 2009 De Hoop Scheffer was appointed to the "Pieter Kooijmans Chair for Peace, Law and Security at "Leiden University. The appointment is part-time, and the holder of this chair is appointed for a maximum of three years.

In addition, De Hoop Scheffer has held a variety of honorary positions, including:

Bahrain Center for Strategic, International and Energy Studies (DERASAT), Member of the International Advisory Board[10]

It has been alleged by "Iran that Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has met "Jundallah leader "Abdolmalek Rigi while he was visiting "Afghanistan in 2008 as "NATO secretary general amid Iranian and some western press accusations that "CIA is backing the terrorist group. This accusation was later denied by NATO.[12]

"" "Grand Order of King Tomislav ("Croatia, 5 February 2009, "for outstanding contribution to strengthening the international position of the Republic of Croatia and the promotion of cooperation between NATO and the Republic of Croatia")